Thursday, September 22, 2011

Anthrax CD Review: Worship Music

I would like to start by saying that this is not a paid advertisement, I have been a big metal fan for years and I have been very discriminating in my choices in what to listen to and what to avoid.

Since Anthrax first walked out on the stage, they have been a driving force in the music industry, and they have continued to bring originality and cutting edge composition to their craft. I have every Anthrax album in my collection, and I am convinced that their newest album, Worship Music, is by far, their perfect crowning achievement.

On this album Anthrax has held nothing back, the album is rich in complexity but is neither dry nor “played out”, the members have shown that throughout their career they have honed their skills to a razor edged blade of musical might nails us to the spot. With massive rhythms and guitar playing at speeds that defy imagination, Anthrax is a force to be respected.

Worship Music is a culmination of the skills and talents of Anthrax members Joey Belladonna – vocals, Charlie Benante – drums, Frank Bello – bass, Rob Caggiano and Scott Ian – guitars, a group of musicians that are living legends in the History of Metal. The album starts with deep tones and harmonics that set an audio stage and demands the listener’s attention which is followed by hypnotic and powerful rhythms and flawless chords. Joey Belladonna’s voice has not withered with time, he belts out the lyrics as a man with fire in his soul, making every word clear and precise. The talents of Charlie Benante, Frank Bello, Rob Caggiano and Scott Ian have, in my opinion, become faster and are spot on, from what I have heard on this album, this band has remained strong, and I feel that Worship Music is their best album and should be in every Metal Head’s Musical Arsenal.

My favorites on Worship Music, which was hard to discern because every song is great, were Earth on Hell, Fight’em ‘till you Can’t, I’m Alive, In The End, The Giant, Crawl and Revolution Screams( not to mention the hidden track at the end of Revolution Screams).

Now, I am aware that I just named pretty much the entire album, but it’s the truth, the album is flawless, and to be honest In the End, which Scott Ian said on his blog Scott-Ian.com was a tribute to the late “Dime Bag” Darrell Lance Abbott of Pantera and Ronnie James Dio (both of whom will be forever missed and remembered as innovators to music) and his appreciation for what they brought to his life lives in this song.

As many Anthrax fans know, the group tends to write songs that are topical, such as “Now it’s Dark” related to the movie Blue Velvet, or like “Make Me Laugh” was a statement of the Television Evangelists of that time who were caught in the same acts as they proclaimed as vile, Worship Music Relates Anthrax’s ability to interweave the art of storytelling into their powerful music.

Worship Music, a triumph of Metal Might, is in my opinion, the Best Metal Album of the year, and it should have a defined place of honor in your music collection.

Lock and Load my friends, its Zombie Hunting Time and Anthrax is providing the soundtrack to the Apocalypse.